Method for diagnosing glioma and screening for the therapeutics of glioma through identifying protein relocation

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for diagnosing glioma by comparing the protein location of an individual to be diagnosed with the normal control nerve cells. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for diagnosing glioma including determining that an individual has glioma when the expression level of GFRα4 in the endoplasmic reticulum is higher than that in the plasma membrane, and a method for screening a therapeutic agent for glioma. In the diagnostic method of the present invention, the protein expression levels in particular subcellular locations are compared, thereby accurately diagnosing glioma, diagnosing progression of glioma, and predicting prognosis after glioma surgery.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for screening a therapeutic agent for glioma, comprising:
 treating nerve cells with a candidate therapeutic agent for glioma; 
 comparing the GFRα4 relocation from the endoplasmic reticulum to the plasma membrane in said treated nerve cells with GFRα4 relocation from the endoplasmic reticulum to the plasma membrane in a control group that is treated with no candidate therapeutic agent; and identifying a candidate therapeutic agent when said candidate therapeutic agent causes a relocation of GFRα4 from the endoplasmic reticulum to the plasma membrane in said treated nerve cells as compared to said control group. 
 
     
     
       2. A method for screening a therapeutic agent for glioma, comprising:
 treating nerve cells with a candidate therapeutic agent for glioma; and 
 comparing its inhibition of GFRα4 expression in the endoplasmic reticulum with that of the control group that is treated with no candidate therapeutic agent.